Doing TV

I hate public speaking, too and made a career of this... It's a different animal... And live TV is so much better than taped for many reasons... Not the least of which is, it's easier.

Find out for me how many cameras will be used in studio. I can better advise you on a couple of simple, simple tricks if I know that.

What you want to do the vast majority of the time is look at the person who is speaking. You almost never go wrong by doing that.

When to look directly into the camera?

1. The opening shot. Look upbeat and authoritative right into the camera. Glance at the host as he makes introductions.

2. When YOU are speaking.

Look at some studio shows like NBA on TNT. Look at the body language of the analysts. You'll learn a ton from that. Watch how the analysts easily transition from a wide shot with the host to a single shot on a different camera.

In terms of what you say... Less is more. I wouldn't research as much as report. One single small piece of information that nobody else has can come across as a grand slam in TV.

And finally... The GOLDEN RULE... Always assume your mic is hot, even during breaks!!!!

 

It depends why you're on the show.
As a spokesman for an organization that is in the news for something, good or bad, you should have your talking points and hit them consistently regardless of the question.
But you shouldn't ignore the question. The key is not being responsive but appearing responsive.

On the other hand, if you're a sports reporter being asked what you think about Steph Curry not making the all-star game, go for it. Plug your org. and your work and say what you think.

 

Sounds like Luggy learned the Golden Rule the hard way!

 

It's always interesting when you see writers become regulars on ESPN. Most get pretty good pretty quickly, but if you look at some of the early clips of these people, they can be bad on a train wreck level.

 

Outstanding advice.

 

I worked in TV for 10+ years until 2006. So I am confused on what you are doing. Is this going to be a pre-game show for a live sports event, a 30 minute panel discussion or something like PTI/Around The Horn?
That would help me dole out advice since I disagree with looking at the camera unless you are in a 1-shot. If this is just a Q&A with the host, focus on the people in the room.
Plus, the best person to ask about talking to the camera would be the host of the show. He'll tell you what to expect.
But yeah...stay away from cursing the second you put the mic on. And don't go to the bathroom after it's on either. I have been in a studio where the host had to to take a dump right before the show...and yes, we could hear the whole damn thing in our IFBs since they forgot to turn his mic off and it made for a rather funny situation when he came back.
I believe the line was: "Struggled with that one, huh Scot?"

 

It wasn't as bad as Rick Reilly "hey, Stu, plug that I had this on Twitter"... Or Kyra Phillips on CNN during a President Bush address to the nation "my sister-in-law is a control freak!".. But once I was recording some voice tracks in the field.... Cameraman kept rolling between takes for some reason... I said something not horrible but not nice. Producer was going thru the tapes in the truck a few hours later... And everybody heard what I had to say.

I spent the rest of the day apologizing.

 

Minimize the times you interrupt someone else on the program - unless the objective of the program is to turn this event into a "shout-fest". Interrupting is rude and viewers/listeners often get a very negative opinion of people who are rude.

Break a leg...

 

"I am NOT showing Lynch my ti....is this thing on?"

 

I've never understood why PTI goes back to the show briefly during the commercial breaks when TK and Wilbon are chatting about something random. I don't know why they would do that or why TK and Wilbon would let them do that. It looks like a recipe for disaster, even though it's not shot live.

 

In a related note, what was up with Vanessa Bayer on SNL's 'Fox and Friends' skit.
Talk about a gun show.